By JULIE BOSMAN AND CARL HULSE

Published: June 10, 2008

The official, James A. Johnson, a vice chairman of the campaign who was recently picked to lead its vice-presidential search, took out loans in 2001 and 2003 below market rates, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday. Mr. Johnson is a former chief executive of Fannie Mae, the largest buyer of Countrywide mortgages.

A spokesman for Mr. Obama, Tommy Vietor, turned the focus to Mr. McCain, saying in a statement, ''It's the height of hypocrisy for the McCain campaign to try and make this an issue when John Green, a top adviser to Mr. McCain, lobbied for Ameriquest, which was one of the nation's largest subprime lenders and a key player in the mortgage crisis.''

Mr. McCain, on Fox News on Monday, suggested Mr. Obama was guilty of hypocrisy. ''I think it suggests a bit of a contradiction talking about how his campaign is going to be not associated with people like that,'' Mr. McCain said.

Amid the controversy, Mr. Johnson and former Deputy Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr., made the rounds on Capitol Hill in what aides described as courtesy calls about potential running mates for Mr. Obama.

They met Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, the House whip; Representative Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, chairman of the Democratic Caucus; Representative Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, House majority leader; Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California; and Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, Senate majority leader.

People familiar with the meetings who insisted on anonymity because they were confidential said the men sounded out the lawmakers on potential vice-presidential names. JULIE BOSMAN AND CARL HULSE